Romanian Avram Iancu, who managed to swim 2,800 km along the River Danube without thermal protection, is among the nominees for the 2017 World Open Water Swimming Man of the Year award given by the World Open Water Swimming Association.

The World Open Water Swimming Association is closely monitoring the work of all swimmers around the world. Based on this analysis and expert criteria, swimmers from all over the world are nominated for four titles, namely Man of the Year, Woman of the Year, Performance of the Year, and Offering of the Year.

A total of 13 swimmers from countries such as Italy, France, the Netherlands, UK, and the US have been nominated for the Man of the Year award. The list also includes Romanian Avram Iancu.

Nominations are based on specialized criteria but the public decides the big winner though online voting. Those interested to vote can do so here by January 1, 2018. Online registration is needed to vote.

“There is nothing more I can do. What I was able to do was to move my arms millions of times to cross the entire course of the Danube without thermal protection, to achieve this world premiere that led to this prestigious nomination. Now, I ask you to also use your hands,” Avram Iancu wrote in a Facebook post announcing the nomination.

Avram Iancu started the big challenge of swimming 2,800 km along the River Danube without thermal protection on June 20 this year. The long journey ended in mid-September. Following this performance, the Romanian became the first person in the world to complete this swimming race without a neoprene suit or other aid items.

According to Avram Iancu, only two people managed to swim the Danube River so far. One of them is Slovenian Martin Strel, who, in 2000, swam for 58 days using a neoprene suit. Six years later, Canadian Mimi Huges finished the same route after 90 days, also equipped with a neoprene suit.

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Irina Marica, irina.marica@romania-insider.com